Seven ideas for starting a business at home

As a result of the global pandemic that has absorbed contemporary life for the last year and a half, hundreds of companies have been forced to permanently close their doors and send their staff packing. As a result, the population has encountered a minefield of unemployment and financial struggle and the job market has become an obstacle course of hiring freezes. However, instead of wallowing in the great abyss of boredom, many people have opted for starting their very own from-home businesses. Now anyone can put their creative cap on and become an entrepreneur by setting up their own company from the comfort of their living room. Here are seven ideas for setting up a business at home.

Baking from home

It can be tricky to figure out how to gain income from home, with many intrigued by apparent quick fixes advertised online, and for some they might work, but others may find they’re better suited to something creative and some have a particular knack for baking. The verticality of the combination of a few simple ingredients is incredible and baking opens doors for a multitude of different company options. Some may decide on cupcakes and learn hundreds of ways to decoratively ice their mini desserts, others may go big and land on wedding cakes, creating theatrical designs and luxurious flavours. Wherever one finds oneself on the baking spectrum, there’s an option for everyone to start up a business.

Setting up a catering business

Admittedly, baking isn’t for everyone. Many people prefer working with meat and veg and enjoy creating home-cooked meals. This is a skill that can certainly be profited from and for someone who has an interest in flavour combinations it could be time to turn their kitchen commercial. Starting up a catering business is bound to gain attention as so many people no longer find the time to cook dinner after a long day at work. Offering up the option for working families, busy stay-at-home parents or even lazy students, and providing a freshly made meal delivered to their door could be a real game-changer and an amazing start-up business that can all be done from home.

Getting stuck into some arts and crafts

For those who have creative flair, another at-home company option is to get started on some arts and crafts. This kind of thing is very adaptable and there are so many different directions that can be taken. One could discover a skill for realistic sketching and offer pet portraits to be hung proudly in a buyer’s home; others may decide to get shoe designing and paint intricate patterns onto trainers; a few different ideas could be embroidery, tie-dye, basket weaving or book binding. Whatever the passion, there’s a business proposal there and these artistic creations can be advertised in many ways: on one’s own company website, Facebook marketplace, Esty and many more. The options are endless!

Creating profit from green fingers

With the summer months finally here, many people enjoy making the most of the warm weather and getting outside to do some gardening. This is another fun hobby that can be turned into a beneficial moneymaker. Over lockdown, as most companies closed their doors, garden centres stayed open and houseplants saw a dramatic rise in popularity as many novices began building up their very own indoor plant collection. For anyone who has developed an interest in gardening or houseplants, there’s an opportunity for the start of a from-home business. Flowers are very popular presents – especially around Valentine’s Day – so offering a freshly cut bouquet from one’s back garden could be a great way to make a profit. Another option could be collecting houseplant cuttings, propagating them and selling them on – or one might decide to design plant accessories, such as painting plant pots or embroidering gardening gloves.

Working with animals

For animal lovers out there, starting up a new home business could be a chance to indulge this interest. Setting up a dog grooming company could be a perfect way for someone to make money while spending all their time around puppies (though it’s worth looking into safety measures, insurance and suitable products to use). Another animal-friendly business could be a dog-walking or pet-sitting, where collecting the pet is just a short walk away. This could be a perfect at-home option to for anyone who wants to avoid busy commutes and profit from the comfort of their own home.

Starting up a candle-making company

Another way to make money from home is to set up a candle business. Who doesn’t enjoy coming home to the lovely smell of a candle or wax melt? This could be another great opportunity to provide something for consumers to use in their own homes or buy as a perfect little gift. One could also branch out and produce other fragranced products, such as bath bombs or essential oils. This idea offers the chance for anyone who wants to experiment with fragrances and oils to create something nice for anyone’s home.

Offering at-home tutoring

A final idea for a home business is tutoring. For someone who has knowledge to offer but perhaps doesn’t enjoy a school setting or have the time to be a full-time teacher, it could be worth considering the possibility of tutoring. This can be done from home, either online or in person, and it doesn’t require any ingredients, purchasing materials or traveling to work – just knowledge and ideally some experience. Advertising as a personal tutor is easy and anyone can create a post on any job website to attract pupils.

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